


Flirt

by Biblio (Heyerchick)



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: First Time, Humour, M/M, Romance, cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-17 04:11:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 18,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13068858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heyerchick/pseuds/Biblio
Summary: Slash: 	Jack and Daniel involved in a loving and committed relationship, which usually involves sex.Rating: 	NC-17Category: 	First Time.  Humour.  Romance.Season/Spoilers: 	Season 4.Synopsis: 	Jack challenges Daniel to prove that he isn't an arrant flirt at an SGC reception packed with resourceful, determined admirers.Warnings: 	This story was written for Chance's zine "The Other Side" and was then re-printed in Phoenix Emrys's e-zine JackDaniel Six Pack #1. I look at it now and the change in my writing style from then 'til now, well, if anyone wants me I'll be whimpering under the bed…This is from my Cute Phase.  Oy.





	1. Part One

“An extension?" Jack stared at the general incredulously. “He’s been off-world for over a week with SG-11 already. What’s the big attraction? SG-11 got something SG-1 doesn’t?” Apart from Jack’s archaeologist, that was.  
  
The general cleared his throat gently. “SG-11 is scheduled to return,” the activating gate neatly punctuated the sentence, “now.”  
  
“And you’re allowing Daniel to remain off-world alone, Sir?” Jack scowled at his C.O. You are not allowing Daniel to remain off-world alone, Sir. No way José. God knows what Daniel could get up to, loose in the galaxy without the guidance and protection of a motivated friend who only had his welfare to heart. Namely, Jack.  
  
“Major Deeley reported that the natives of P4X-725 are exceptionally friendly and civilised," Hammond reproved him. "They have an orderly, stable, technologically advanced society and take a keen interest in other cultures and traditions. They specifically invited Dr Jackson to remain as their honoured guest, and he specifically requested he be allowed to accept. I’m not disposed to refuse the request unless you can prove to me Dr Jackson faces a threat of which SG-11 is completely unaware.”  
  
Jack swallowed the sarcasm, since it was a luxury Hammond rarely allowed himself at Jack’s expense. It was obvious what had happened. Daniel started out by looking excited and enthused, then when the general expressed legitimate concerns for his safety, Daniel segued into heroically concealed disappointment and hurt, and Hammond spinelessly caved.  
  
Jack would have caved too, but for entirely different reasons and anyway, that wasn’t the point. Jack had to be able to rely on his C.O. to help him prevent Daniel from doing the three million fascinating things clamouring for his attention, some of which could get him killed and all of which would keep him away from Jack. Jack had Deeley well in hand. He’d be expecting the firing squad if Daniel so much as broke a nail whilst under his supervision. Abandoning Daniel to his fate on a strange planet was SO outside the parameters of their agreed protocols for ensuring Daniel’s health, safety and welfare, Jack might be forced to shoot Deeley himself. Right there on the gateroom ramp. Just so the suspense didn’t kill him.  
  
Jack gave Hammond a very disappointed look, which he ignored completely.  
  
“Dr Jackson is the first off-worlder to have been granted access to the sacred temple,” the general said calmly. Then he got a good look at Jack’s face. “Dr Jackson was quite excited about the prospect,” the general offered by way of a palliative.  
  
“That’s news?” Jack drawled witheringly. Daniel got excited over just about everything. Except, typically, the one thing Jack wanted him to get excited over. Jack hadn’t been able to empirically test how excited Daniel would get at the sight of Jack’s naked body, or what Jack could do with Daniel’s naked body. Not a lot for the former, Jack suspected, and as for the latter option, given Daniel's complete lack of awareness, let alone experience, he didn't have a cat in hell's chance of ever finding out. What a guy fantasised obsessively over in the privacy of his own mind couldn’t be held against him. Jack wished it was - held against him, that is - but it wasn’t, never had been, and he should get over it.  
  
“Apparently the Telamon, the ruler of the Etorans, personally requested that Dr Jackson be allowed to remain on the planet.”  
  
“As in asked in person?” Why? “Old gal?” Jack asked casually, hoping to score points for lack of prejudice against the female gender.  
  
“Young guy, Sir,” a light voice commented from behind Jack. Carter.  
  
Doc Fraiser grinned. “A little older than Daniel, I thought.”  
  
“How’d he look?” Trustworthy? A man of high moral fibre and integrity? A man with whom Jack could safely entrust the intensely aggravating love of his life?  
  
“Oh, momma,” the Doc murmured with obvious relish.  
  
“Seconded,” Carter said promptly. “Daniel and the Telamon are getting along like a house on fire.”  
  
Jack turned imperatively to Hammond.  
  
“General, I am not comfortable about leaving Daniel out there alone. No disrespect to Major Deeley, but where the safety of my team is concerned, I feel I should have the final say. Permission to go to 725 and check it out for myself, Sir?”  
  
Jack hoped tone, posture and attitude punched home the message he was gonna make the general’s life a living hell if he didn’t let Jack go. Now.  
  
“If it will set your mind at ease, Colonel. You have a go.”  
  
Jack was gone. Making like the proverbial tree. And, yeah, he did realise the general meant ‘shut you up’.

* * *

Jack was in linguistic difficulty. His tongue stubbornly refused to get all the way through ‘Take me to your Telamon’ because it meant he was actually standing here saying ‘Take me to your leader’. How Star Trek was that?  
  
“Take me to Dr Jackson!” he snapped. In more ways than one.  
  
The honour guard camped out at the gate looked like Roman frigging Centurions, but on an epic and distressingly virile scale. They were henchmen. Minions. They had no right to look this good. Good enough for a goddamn GQ cover. Jack felt hopelessly inadequate and he was still within spitting distance of the event horizon.  
  
After a moment of contemplative silence on the part of the guards, during which time Jack took in how perfectly they were groomed and started to feel grubby and inadequate, huge smiles broke out, along with a chorus of ‘Daniel’s’ and a riff of ‘Ah! Of course! Who else!’  
  
Jack let the good grooming guide stuff go because the GQ Centurions could take him straight to his Daniel so he could remind his Daniel forcefully and without any unnecessary delays he damned well was his. Not actually in those words; Jack didn’t want Daniel thinking he’d been hitting the local moonshine, but enough so Daniel would get the gist and do what the hell he was told. In other words, haul ass back to base toot pretty damn sweet.  
  
Jack was expecting to hoof it but they simply escorted him with all due ceremony to a small platform where he stood for a second not admiring the view – trees – and the next was very much admiring the view. Daniel’s butt, looking positively perky as he leaned over some sort of spiky squiggle amongst a host of other spiky squiggles on a wall.  
  
Jack had to bite his lip. He wanted to bite Daniel’s butt, but his lip would have to do. In the old days, before Jack fell hopelessly in love with Daniel, he used to be able to hug Daniel all the time. He got away with calling Daniel ‘Spacemonkey’ and hugging him in front of the Marine Corps and they all just went ‘Aah’ and wiped away tears of joy. Now he couldn’t get within ten feet of Daniel unless he knew Daniel had a gun and was prepared to use it.  
  
Bless him. Daniel had no idea and Jack had to exert every single iota of iron self-control to stop himself from pulling Daniel onto his lap and kissing him senseless. Exerting that kind of self-control didn’t leave a lot of ‘Jack’ left over for shit like temper control. The rest of the SGC wasn’t so much walking softly as running like hell in the opposite direction whenever Jack was en route anywhere. He could empty the hallways faster than Ole Doc Fraiser with the annual medicals on her mind.  
  
Daniel wriggled. Right in front of Jack! Had he no sense of self-preservation? Jesus! Think Carter in your bed. Carter in your bed. Carter in your bed. Jack’s mantra. Did it for him every time. For every Daniel induced erection, there was an equal and opposite Carter cold shower-reaction. She was Jack, ten years younger, way smarter, in a skirt. Like frostbite on the libido.  
  
Before Jack could utter a word of reproof to Daniel, the full meal deal arrived. The kind with extra fries and a very large Coke. Compared to this guy, those guards were candles to the sun. The sheer animal vitality he was exuding from every pore almost nailed Jack to the opposite wall.  
  
“We have a guest, Daniel.”  
  
The full meal deal might be dressed like an escapee from ‘Clash of the Titans’ but he had the kind of natural authority that would have guys shouting ‘Jump? How high?’ a few weeks after he’d killed ‘em. Probably with his pearly teeth, or something.  
  
If Jack tried that line on Daniel he’d stop and have a think and ask Jack if he was sure he wanted Daniel to jump. Skipping would work much better, Jack. Hopping, even.  
  
Jack’s diplomatic smile was more of a baring of teeth. He didn’t actually growl, which was pretty good, considering. If full meal deal’s name wasn’t Alpha-something, Jack would eat this P-90.  
  
“Nikolos, Telamon of the Etore,” FMD introduced himself gravely.  
  
“Colonel Jack O’Neill.” Jack’s tone was more flat than grave, he had to admit. Much like the rest of Jack. It was the tan. The teeth. The tumbling tresses of glossy brown hair. The green eyes. The physique under the short dress. Jack would’ve emptied the magazine into Nikolos on general principles but he suspected the bullets would bounce right off. “Of the Chicago O’Neills.”  
  
Nikolos gestured Jack forward with a gracious sweep of his hand. Jack suppressed his own far from gracious gesture and strolled over to Daniel’s side.  
  
“Jack,” Daniel glanced up at his team leader and closest friend, greeting him without palpable enthusiasm. Jack looked like he was sucking a lemon. This was an expression Daniel was becoming familiar with. Some days, it seemed he could do nothing right where Jack was concerned. What was Jack’s objection to a little harmless translation? Daniel suppressed a sigh and turned to someone who was much more sympathetic to his interests. “Nik, can you translate this for me?”  
  
Jack watched Daniel – simpering wasn’t too strong a word for it, he decided – up at ‘Nik’. Nik? Sonovabitch! He wasn’t having that. “Is that respectful?” he hissed. “Guy in charge, here.”  
  
“It’s what he asked me to call him,” Daniel explained patiently in his ‘indulge Jack, he’s going nuts again for no apparent reason’ voice. Which Jack was. He seemed to have taken an instant, irrational dislike to Nikolos based on what? Only Jack knew, and wouldn’t hesitate to share the pain with anyone who got in his way. “Anything else would be disrespectful.”  
  
Jack scowled as ‘Nik’ knelt beside Daniel, read the squiggle and another couple squiggles Daniel pointed to, then turned to Daniel and smiled. “The beautiful one has come,” he said softly. Meaningfully.  
  
Jack watched in disbelief as Daniel’s eyelashes fluttered. Rapidly. Daniel did that sometimes. Usually in dire situations where Jack didn’t have a gun, and usually the sweetener to comments like ‘We’re sorry. Is the deal still on the table?’ delivered to a motley assortment of intergalactic psychos who couldn’t believe this beautiful man was batting his eyes at them. His huge, stunningly blue eyes, framed under perfectly arched brows. The ones with the ludicrously long sweep of lashes actually touching the ivory perfection of all that flawless silken skin. The skin that made all those psychos – as well as a regrettably ordinary, yet psychotically overprotective, insanely jealous, pathologically possessive colonel with situationally flexible knees – wonder what the hell the rest of him was like, under all those layers of concealing clothing.  
  
It was hard.  
  
Jack had long since realised Daniel was usually as shrewd as they came when it came to judging character, but tragically, Daniel was also all clueless, staggeringly tempting innocence when it came to sex. Bit him on the – caught him out every time. Hell, he didn’t know Jack had the Vesuvius of hots for him and he saw Jack almost every waking moment of almost every single day, and Jack saw Daniel for quite a few of his sleeping moments too, when he threw an off-world tent into the equation.  
  
Daniel was extremely lucky Jack was a credit to his mother and occasionally, to his uniform. He might drool and leer lasciviously from one sleeping bag over, but that was as far as it went.  
  
Daniel was smiling. That sweet, innocent, almost tentative little smile he had, like he was never sure what reception he’d get, trying it out. He was smiling at ‘Nik’, not Jack. Smiling like that and batting his eyes.  
  
Jack glared. Hey. Don’t mind me. Carry on.  
  
“The beautiful one has come, and knows not that love waits for him behind the face of his friend,” Daniel read fluently, delighted to be getting to grips with this enticing new language so quickly. Nikolos had been a great help. It was so rare to meet a soldier, a ruler, who was also a dedicated and talented scholar. He smiled warmly.  
  
“You are a skilled linguist, Daniel,” Nikolos admired.  
  
Daniel blushed a little, uncomfortable as always with praise. He was also very aware of Jack hovering in the background looking – Daniel snuck a quick peek under his lashes – explosive. Jack absently fingering a grenade helped the overall impression of a man counting down.  
  
Jack watched the ‘touching’ little barf-fest playing out before him. Perfectly judged admiration. Not sappy, not gushy. Sincere. Sincere enough to make Daniel blush and look all confused, in his usual adorable fashion. Nik was a prick.  
  
“Who’s the friend?” Jack asked. And waited. And waited. And - Hey! Was he in the tomb, here? Jack adjusted the volume. “Who’s the friend?”  
  
“In this case, the prince has returned from court to find his childhood friend and companion, a simple farmer,” Daniel told him cheerfully after finally deigning to acknowledge his charismatic presence.  
  
Daniel smiled determinedly at Nikolos, trying to smooth over any awkwardness arising from Jack’s brusque, and frankly aggressive manner. Jack wasn’t even attempting to be polite to Nikolos, who was the ruler here, a fact Jack had clearly forgotten in his rush to act like a jerk. What was with Jack? And why did he insist on spreading the load of whatever it was?  
  
Jack looked from Daniel back to Nik the Prick, who had the same expression in his eyes that Jack got in his when he looked in a mirror with Daniel on his mind. Pretty much every damn time he looked in a mirror. Ah. Simple farmer? He sensed they were not talking some chick with a scythe. This situation was very definitely going Plato on them. His threat assessment was that Daniel’s moral well being and virginity were in mortal danger and he should just hustle Daniel over to that cool little transport thingy and make like Scotty.  
  
Of course, the general was looking for something tactical and Jack didn’t think incandescently jealous rage on his part counted no matter how loudly he whined once they got back to base. Things needed to escalate before Jack could evacuate.  
  
He really wanted to know how it was that Daniel was perfectly happy to sit snuggled up to the king of the swingers there and translate a story about two guys doing it, when he remained blithely unaware he was sitting here with two guys who wanted to do it with him about as badly as they wanted to breathe. Really. ‘Cause Jack didn’t have a frigging clue, and until he got one, he was never going to get any closer to Daniel than this. Palpitating from drooling distance over the perfect curves of Daniel’s ass, the luscious pout and the sweetest nape on this or any other planet.  
  
Was it any wonder he was going grey?  
  
Daniel took a deep breath and launched into the translation again. “I think I have this part now. When you add that,” he reached up to touch one the major glyphs, “to thia,” he touched a bridging glyph, “you get – you - oh.” Daniel froze, thinking he’d mistranslated. He ran frantically through all he knew of this particular ancient custom and couldn’t come up with a single reference in the body, no pun, of evidence to suggest the position was even anatomically possible. “Um. Right. Er – Plato doesn’t get this – um – graphic,” he stammered out. Plato was heavy on the emotions and societal mores, but a little light on the actual mechanics. That part of the male anatomy just wasn’t designed for the purpose so vigorously described and he didn’t know anyone with legs or back strong enough to just hold it like that. Daniel could certainly imagine the screaming, as anyone who’d ever been on the receiving end of one of Janet’s full physicals could testify, but he didn’t think it was the kind of scream referenced here.  
  
Nikolos obligingly supplied the translation and made Jack blush too.  
  
“Moving swiftly on - ” Every part of him burning with embarrassment, Daniel shuffled a few feet along to another block of glyphs, took a surreptitious look, blushed even more furiously - God, who could hold their breath for that long? - “and – um - on,” he shuffled a little further, vainly seeking a place of literary safety and morbidly aware of Jack’s avid interest in proceedings now he knew just how – graphic – this stuff was.  
  
Jack smirked. He guessed Daniel wasn’t expecting adult content. Daniel was Discovery channel all the way. Jack figured this might not be a bad thing. It was entirely possible Daniel might just catch on why Nikolos had him reading this particular story. As soon as he realised Nik the prick, Nik’s prick and Daniel were all in the same equation, he’d be scuttling out of here to safety faster than a Victorian virgin out of a bodice ripper. So it was trite. Jack was Showtime all the way.  
  
“If anybody wants me, I’ll be outside, shooting myself,” Jack said lightly and strolled away, leaving Daniel to his all too probable fate.

* * *

  
After a very refreshing stroll around the pleasant environs of what even his untrained eye recognised instantly as a pyramid with the pointy bit at the top chopped off, Jack headed back into the depths of the tomb with the view to see what his fair Daniel was up to. Or, if they really wanted to get out of here toot very much sweet, who he was up to.  
  
Jack found Daniel in a posture strongly suggesting he was at bay, but Nik the prick wasn’t doing anything actively hostile and Jack was looking. Had this itchy trigger finger and all.  
  
“Have you had enough time to think about my proposition, Daniel?” Nik the prick asked pleasantly.  
  
“Yes. I mean no. Yes. No. Er - ” Daniel couldn’t believe Jack had just hauled ass out of the temple and left him alone with a man who was little better than a pornographer and whose interest in Daniel was patently NOT intellectual. And Jack had taken the damn gun with him. There were some occasions even Daniel accepted screamed for an P-90, and the ruler of a friendly, technologically advanced people the Pentagon wanted to get into bed with wanting to get into bed with Daniel was one of them. Not that Nikolos was all that fussy about the bed. He had suggested one or two alternatives, including Daniel just sprawling on the altar, dropping his pants and taking it like a man. More or less.  
  
Jack watched with unconcealed glee as Daniel quit while he was behind and shot Jack a look of naked appeal, which Jack pretended not to see, instead leaning casually against the nearest pillar to watch the unfolding drama. Jack would bet his pension he knew what Nik the prick’s proposition was.  
  
With a brave attempt at calm, and fully aware of Jack hovering like a vulture in the background gleefully noting his every word, no doubt to be used in evidence against him later, Daniel attempted to talk his way out of it. He turned to Nikolos and took a deep, calming breath. “I can’t have intercourse with you,” he announced flatly.  
  
Jack turned a choke of laughter into a cough. Nik clearly had Daniel’s measure too. In Daniel’s case, subtle won’t do. “That’s a shame,” Jack suggested brightly, “I always enjoy a good conversation.”  
  
Daniel shot Jack a scorching look. How the hell could he be so damn facetious when Daniel’s ass was on the line? Literally!  
  
“Why do you not desire intercourse with me? You have already said it is not against your custom,” Nikolos asked, clearly puzzled.  
  
Jack grinned. He guessed poor Daniel didn’t see that one coming.  
  
“And what’s your custom?” Jack challenged. Well, Daniel wasn’t going to ask and a good team leader needed all the facts before he decided if the only reasonable response to a developing situation was a really big gun with lots of bullets. “Okay to just say no?” Jack asked lightly.  
  
“It is not ‘okay’ to say no to the person of the Telamon without cause,” Nik the prick snapped.  
  
“Is it okay for the person of the Telamon to Aask without cause?” Jack prompted. They had a word for that. It was coercion, even if Nik the prick did smile like Donny Osmond. Jack wanted Daniel to learn a little lesson about the perils of flirting and going off alone with strange men to look at glyphs, but he didn’t want anybody scaring the shit out of his archaeologist.  
  
He glared at Nik, feeling slightly guilty he’d just left Daniel high and dry like that when he really hadn’t known what would come, excuse the expression, the moment Jack was out of earshot.  
  
Actually Jack was glad he was even here, because if he hadn’t insisted, Daniel would have been dealing with Nik’s prick by himself. This was all fuel to his determination never to let Daniel out of his sight off-world ever again.  
  
“I did not ask without cause,” Nik was visibly shocked. “Daniel’s encouragement was most blatant. He is entitled to refuse, but he must give me cause. It is an insult to honour else. It is not our custom to mislead others.”  
  
Jack turned slowly, menacingly, to his errant love. “Dan-iel?” Just how much eye batting, blushing, lip licking and smiling had he been doing, for God’s sake? Daniel was an arrant flirt but he hadn’t a clue that he was. Daniel had no idea whatsoever about the impact he had on other people. Even on base if some woman, or guy for that matter, looked admiringly in Daniel’s direction, if Daniel even noticed, and nine times out of ten he didn’t notice, well, if Daniel did happen to notice he always glanced over his shoulder to see who was being stared at so rudely. Jack was completely grey and probably headed towards his exhausted follicles throwing in the towel and just dropping off his head over it, and he figured Carter must be hitting the L’Oreal pretty hard by now too.  
  
Daniel tried and failed to avoid Jack’s accusing gaze. He had tried to say no, he wasn’t interested, particularly not interested in the activity described in toe curling detail on panel four, but Nikolos hadn’t listened. He spouted some nonsense about Daniel encouraging him, which was – was nonsensical. How could just talking to someone about iconography be encouragement for anything but an earnest discussion about iconography? Even with this subject matter, which was, admittedly, a first for him.  
  
Jack rolled his eyes to heaven and sighed. Guess he’d have to fix this. “About – Daniel,” he began in a meaningful man-to-sex god tone.  
  
Daniel stiffened at Jack’s faintly pitying tone. “Jack? Could I have a moment with you in private?” he snapped.  
  
Jack took in the pout, the flaring nostrils and the stormy blue eyes. “Whaa?” He was feeling no pain, except in a very localised area, but that was more or less okay, these pants were a little on the baggy side, thank God.  
  
“A word! In private,” Daniel emphasised, glaring at his erstwhile leader.  
  
Nikolos bowed. “Of course.”  
  
Jack shrugged, and followed Daniel across the main chamber and around behind the altar, eyes fixed on Daniel’s ass, wondering if he could get Daniel to lick his lips. He did that. Wantonly moistened them right in front of Jack, just like he did so many other damn things right in front of Jack that got Jack going and then never did anything to stop Jack coming. The only thing Daniel never did was bat his eyes. He batted his eyes at everyone and everything except Jack. Why was that? Why not at Jack, who happened to be passionately in love with him?  
  
Probably because this was Daniel. And he was just Jack. Good old Jack with the fat, saggy butt and the boring brown eyes and grey hair. He couldn’t even fool himself with an ‘ing’ on the end of grey, not any more.  
  
Daniel turned on Jack furiously. “’About – Daniel’?” he prompted. “What about me? Why are you assuming this is MY fault? I didn’t do anything to prompt that man to – to – I didn’t.”  
  
“To? To? To what?” Jack snapped. He was pretty sure what, but he wanted to hear it from Daniel. “WHAT!”  
  
Daniel eyed Jack with dislike. “He wanted to shove me down on this altar – “ Daniel tapped it carefully for emphasis, “ – and you know?”  
  
Jack kept his expression carefully blank. You bet he knew, but did Daniel?  
  
“Fuck me!” Daniel hissed. “And don’t give me any crap about fertility rituals.”  
  
Jack had not in fact planned to do this. “Are you telling me that guy didn’t take one look at you and just know right off your brand of Coke was Cherry?” he asked, voice dripping amazement.  
  
“What?” Daniel asked suspiciously, wondering for the thousandth time where Jack came up with the ‘colourful’ expressions and just why the hell he insisted on sharing them with a fairly inoffensive scholar of ancient languages and literature.  
  
“I heard him, Daniel,” Jack said smugly. “It’s not okay to ask without cause. He said you gave cause and he made it clear it was only reasonable you in turn gave cause why you were changing your mind. This begs the question: what cause did you give?”  
  
“None whatsoever,” Daniel said confidently, scowling at Jack’s patent disbelief.  
  
“None?” Jack rolled his eyes incredulously. The man was utterly clueless. “Did you do this?” Jack batted his eyes at Daniel.  
  
Daniel stepped back, blinking hard. What the hell was Jack doing? “Do you have something in your eyes?”  
  
“I was batting them,” Jack said witheringly. “Just like you do. Just like you just did, come to that.”  
  
“What?” Daniel snarled. “I do not bat my eyes! I’ve never batted my eyes!”  
  
“Daniel, you flirt,” Jack accused his beloved, coldly. Except with him, he thought bitterly.  
  
“I do not!”  
  
“You do!”  
  
“Do not!”  
  
“Do too!”  
  
“Don’t”  
  
“Do!”  
  
Daniel blinked, taken aback by both the accusation and Jack’s conviction.  
  
“See! See! You’re doing it right now!” Jack hissed triumphantly.  
  
“Blinking?” Daniel asked cautiously. Maybe he should get Jack out of here? He was going nuts again, for no apparent reason.  
  
“Batting. Flirting.”  
  
“You’re crazy!”  
  
Jack snarled, grabbed Daniel’s hand and towed him forcefully across the chamber floor back to Nik and his waiting prick. He let go of Daniel and stalked over to Nik.  
  
“Look, here’s the deal. He does all that stuff, makes with the eyes, the sweet little smile, the moistening of the lips, the attention, the soft voice, the cute blush, yadda yadda, and he doesn’t have a clue he does it or what it does to anyone on the receiving end. You with me?”  
  
“Of course I am with you. I am standing at your side,” Nik said, clearly bewildered.  
  
Jack ground his teeth. “Do you understand? Not about me standing at your side,” he explained with iron patience, “about Daniel making with the eyes, the sweet yadda yadda.”  
  
Understanding dawned. “Yes.”  
  
“So ask Daniel why he’s refusing you and every time he makes with the fluttering eyes, say so. Got it?” Jack grimaced. “Please do that.” Jack stepped back. This would not take long.  
  
“Very well,” Nik bowed to Jack and turned to Daniel. “Daniel, you must explain to me why it is you are refusing me.”  
  
Daniel eyed both Jack and Nikolos suspiciously. “You claim I have to give you cause to refuse you because I allegedly gave you cause to ask me. That’s not true,” he said earnestly.  
  
“You are giving me cause now,” Nikolos said unexpectedly.  
  
“Excuse me?” Daniel asked, bewildered. He scowled as Jack ostentatiously batted his eyes. He blushed to the roots of his hair as Nikolos took his cue from Jack and batted his eyes too.  
  
“You’re doing it now,” Jack said meanly.  
  
“I’m blinking!” Daniel insisted.  
  
“You are not, but I see now that Colonel O'Neill of the Chicago O'Neills is right and I read too much into your – “ Nikolos hesitated.  
  
“Flirting,” Jack obligingly supplied, tone crisp.  
  
“Flirting. It would seem you do this to everyone, all unknowing,” Nikolos explained kindly.  
  
Jack sighed. Daniel did it to everyone but Jack.  
  
Daniel couldn’t think of a single word to say as Jack said a far from fond farewell, promised to send in SG-9 if Nikolos wanted further contact, which he didn’t, apparently, not if it didn’t lead to further contact with Daniel on any altars that happened to be nearby. Daniel meekly allowed Jack to lead him resistless over to the transporter pad, whisk him through the honour guard and the wormhole, Jack smirking like a Cheshire cat every step of the way. Every step he wasn’t provocatively saying stuff like ‘doing it now’ or ‘right now’. The only coherent word in Daniel’s mind as he stumbled down the gateroom ramp was ‘debriefing’.  
  
Oh God.

* * *

“Yeah, you do,” Robert said judiciously.  
  
“I do not bat my eyes!” Daniel protested indignantly.  
  
“Daniel, the first six months I knew you, I thought you just couldn’t figure out I wasn’t playing hard to get, that I wasn’t in fact to be got.” Robert didn’t have the heart to tell Daniel the only reason he’d noticed the flirting was that Daniel flirted so blatantly even he couldn't miss it. “Then the rest of the time I figured everybody at the Institute - including that guard who gave you a cinnamon swirl every Friday – figured you were playing hard to get, and the only reason you got away with it was because so many damned people – including the ‘swirl’ guard, so take that look off your face – wanted you, nobody actually knew who you were playing hard to get with at any one time.”  
  
Daniel sat down hard in the chair opposite Robert. He was cut to the quick. “What about Sarah!”  
  
“Let’s not go there,” Robert said firmly. Ole Frosty Pants couldn’t have happened to a nicer or less deserving guy than Daniel. The only good thing about Frosty was that she kept Stephen ‘God thinks he’s me’ Rayner from Daniel’s bedroom door.  
  
Daniel shot Robert a hard look, but Robert stoically maintained his Sphinx impression.  
  
“So why the sudden interest?” Robert asked, curious. “Why storm into my office and get me to check out your batting average?”  
  
“That’s not funny,” Daniel griped. “Jack – “ Daniel caught Robert’s grimace. “What?” he asked defensively.  
  
“O’Neill accused you of flirting? Shocker,” Robert drawled.  
  
“Jack can be a little over-protective – “ Daniel began.  
  
“A little?” Robert hooted incredulously. “Try pathological. The guy is a psycho.” At least he was where Daniel was concerned. “Seriously scary.” Robert knew this. It surely wasn’t coincidence that the first time Robert had been Daniel’s alternate on SG-1, O’Neill had chosen to ‘bond’ whilst idly hurling his knife at a tree. Over and over. O’Neill and his knife had a number of questions, such as how well Robert knew Daniel.  
  
“Jack is not a psycho!“ Daniel scowled at Robert and his sceptically twitching beard.  
  
“Not around you, maybe. I’m not you. O’Neill likes you. O’Neill doesn’t like me,” Robert said simply. That wasn’t strictly accurate. Robert was pretty damn sure O’Neill had the hots for Daniel. Robert was absolutely positive Daniel didn’t have the least idea. People weren’t really Robert’s thing, so if he noticed O’Neill was crazy about Daniel, it had to be a big deal.  
  
He was vaguely aware the military didn’t exactly embrace alternate life styles, but it didn’t seem to have weighed with O’Neill, so maybe he should cut the psycho some slack on being a psycho. “Daniel, would you say that O’Neill was your friend?” Robert asked, curious.  
  
“Of course,” Daniel admitted cheerfully.  
  
“The Spacemonkey thing?” Robert prompted. “Those Marines gossip worse than old women, and O’Neill put his hands on your ass right there in the gateroom in front of the general and the Corps. It’s the stuff of legend.”  
  
It was also most of the reason why the base almost in its entirety thought O’Neill had been doing Daniel for a couple of years. The sole exceptions being Daniel, the general and O’Neill, who clearly only wished he was doing Daniel. Carter and Teal’c had never owned up one way or the other, but they could hardly friggin’ miss it, could they?  
  
“Jack’s hands were never on my ass!” Daniel bridled. He didn’t know to this day why people obsessed over one of the nicest moments in his life. Seeing his friends alive and well, seeing how happy they were that he was alive and well, being hugged by Jack, realising for the first time how much he meant to Jack. He’d never been anybody’s best friend before, and that was the exact moment he realised that was what he was to Jack, and that Jack was the best friend Daniel had ever had. Why couldn’t people just let him enjoy that?  
  
Robert shook his head pityingly. “In the entire recorded history of the military, without even touching the hard-assed Special Ops thing, has any colonel attempted to hug some gorgeous guy and call him Spacemonkey in front of his C.O. and the Marine Corps, let alone gotten away with it? Apart from O’Neill? Doesn’t that suggest something to you?”  
  
“Gorgeous?” Daniel snapped.  
  
“Statement of fact, not a come on,” Robert remarked briskly, “so stop trying to change the subject.”  
  
“It suggests that Jack is my friend,” Daniel said sullenly. He scowled at Robert’s beard, which as usual had a lot to say for itself. “My best friend,” he snapped. The beard sneered. Daniel stiffened. Robert had to be kidding! Jack? “Drag your mind out of the gutter, Robert. There is nothing between Jack and I except friendship,” he said haughtily.  
  
“Prove it,” Robert challenged.

* * *

“Prove it,” Jack challenged.  
  
Daniel sighed and leaned back in his chair. This was getting ridiculous. Robert had challenged Daniel to observe Jack’s behaviour in order to make a definitive determination on what Jack’s feelings for him were. Daniel had decided on covert observation, rejecting out of hand Robert’s actual suggestion, which was to pin Jack to the nearest wall, lay one on him and see what happened. Robert had many sterling qualities, but people skills were not amongst them.  
  
Now Daniel had Jack challenging him to prove he wasn’t a flirt. He sighed. “How do you suggest I do that, Jack, since I can’t identify the behaviour patterns that seem to be keeping you awake at night?”  
  
Jack sat down and leapt back up as Daniel’s computer squealed. Everything looked okay until the instant Daniel touched his fingertip lightly to the save key. Then the computer rebooted. Jack tried a faintly apologetic smile and when that failed miserably, carefully sat in Daniel’s chair.  
  
“Important?” he asked, hoping not.  
  
“Not really,” Daniel sighed. “Just about eight hours worth of typing which I’m hoping the file recover will – “ he tapped his touch screen lightly, hoping like hell – “won’t be able to recover.” He shot Jack a reproachful look.  
  
“Oh.” There didn’t seem to be anything more Jack could say and Daniel had already exceeded his quota of Jack actually using the ‘s’ word; more than once a year and he’d get cocky. “Re the questionable behaviour patterns. Batting of eyes. Licking of lips. Smiling.”  
  
“Smiling?” Daniel asked incredulously, as he leaned with pointed care against his workbench.  
  
Jack was slightly embarrassed. “Sweetly,” he admitted gruffly. “Or so I’ve been told.”  
  
“By whom?” Daniel demanded suspiciously. Was Jack blushing?  
  
“Carter,” Jack lied shamelessly, knowing full well that if Daniel asked Carter if he had a sweet smile she would say yes. “That other thing you do with your eyes. Yeah, that’s it.”  
  
“What?” Daniel asked carefully.  
  
“That.” Jack could tell Daniel wasn’t with him on this one. “That looking up through the lashes thing,” he said casually. That particular thing tended to make the roof of his mouth go dry. He glanced up at Daniel again. “And the blushing.”  
  
“So pretty much everything I do then,” Daniel snapped.  
  
“Did I mention the voice?” Jack muttered, staring fixedly over at the door.  
  
“My voice?” Daniel didn’t think he wanted to know.  
  
“Husky,” Jack sighed gustily. “Cute little catch.” He froze. “So I’ve been told.”  
  
“Sam?” Daniel snapped as Jack muttered ‘Carter’.  
  
Jack realised that most of his IQ was in his pants and it was starting to show. Literally and figuratively. He had to get out of here before he did something stupid, like pinning Daniel up against bookcase and kissing him into orbit. “The reception!”  
  
“The reception?” Daniel asked cautiously. Daniel was starting to have suspicions that maybe Robert was right, maybe Jack’s interest in him was leaning a tad towards the hot and sweaty, given the – um – 'fire down below' he was currently covertly observing. Jack's BDU's weren't quite loose enough. “What about the reception?”  
  
“The Tok’ra are just about as hot to trot with the Tollan as Maybourne was, they’ll all be here. Carter will have her hands full with that sap Narim and her old man in the same room. I’ll probably be beating Freya off with my P-90. We got politicians. Pentagon pussies,” Jack explained fluently, winging it. Pilot. Good at that winging stuff. “So you can work the room.”  
  
“I always work the room,” Daniel riposted. “In my new career as intergalactic goodwill diplomat, which I got stuck with because you guys are too cheap to get a real one. I have to make nice with everybody who swings by the gateroom.” It cut a serious swathe into valuable reading time.  
  
“Phone numbers!” Jack said triumphantly. Daniel was looking bewildered and he wasn’t looking at anything he shouldn't be looking at, so there was still a chance Jack might get out of this office without a sexual harassment charge. Might. No promises if Daniel kept licking his lips like that. “That’s my challenge to you. Don’t do a thing but be yourself. Easy,” he said grandly. “If you don’t flirt, then you won’t score a single phone number. If you do, even if you don’t know you do, then you will. Score phone numbers.” Daniel would get the phone numbers, that wasn’t in question. Hmm. “One military type. Not Carter,” Jack amended instantly. “Or Janet, so lose the grin.”  
  
“I wasn’t thinking about Janet,” Daniel denied hotly. “She has my phone number already. She’d definitely think it was odd if I asked her for it again, given how often we call each other.”  
  
“She does? You do? Why do you?” Jack snapped.  
  
Daniel reluctantly admitted staring at his boots wasn’t really constructive, not when his objective was staring at Jack. He was just – well, a little freaked by Jack’s – um - growing interest in him, which was making Daniel’s observation more overt by the second.  
  
“You don’t need to know,” he said primly, biting back a grin as Jack glowered at him. Jack was scared of Janet. He wouldn’t dare ask her and he’d didn’t dare do anything to Daniel because all Daniel had to do was this, drop his head and peek shyly up through his lashes and Jack was putty in his shaking hands. Which were in his pockets so Jack couldn’t see them shaking and ruin the effect. Jack getting to know how much help Daniel was giving Janet with her Italian so she could help Cassie with her Italian would not help either. “You really don’t,” he insisted.  
  
Jack glared at Daniel. He needed to know. “Davis,” he suggested vindictively.  
  
“Paul?” Daniel gaped at Jack.  
  
Jack stiffened. Bad example! Froze. Paul? “You two were cosied up together while the technobugs were crawling up my ass. You can get Major Davis’s phone number.”  
  
Daniel had Paul’s number from his last visit, but he supposed he could pretend he’d lost it and ask again. “Paul,” he agreed promptly. He could deflate Jack completely after the reception by owning up he already had that number too and batting of eyes had nothing to do with getting it the second time.  
  
“One civilian. Not Rothman. I’ll pick one out when I’ve had a chance to assess,” Jack said darkly. Nobody cute. Maybe a senator or something. An elderly senator. “One alien. Not Teal’c.”  
  
“Aliens don’t have phone numbers. They don’t have phones,” Daniel observed dispassionately.  
  
Jack resisted the urge to make some crack like ‘555-FREYA’. Barely. “Get one of ‘em to cough up some high tech gizmo or other, or show you some alien text or something.” Jack frowned as a thought occurred. Specifically, the intellectual interest half of the Tok’ra ho. “Anise doesn’t count in this category either,” he announced emphatically. She was as hot to trot with Daniel as she was with the Tollan.  
  
“So basically you’re hand picking the lucky participants?”  
  
Jack shrugged. Actually, this was a damn good idea. He could give Daniel HIS phone number, and Daniel could take it as a joke. Or not. Glancing up at Daniel’s poker face, which was as readable as everyone else’s face, Jack didn’t think Daniel would take it as a joke either.

* * *

“How do I look?” Daniel asked shyly. He turned around and wriggled his butt a little, for effect, grinning when he heard the distressed bleat from behind him.  
  
“Uugh!” Jack commented incisively.  
  
Daniel turned to face Jack again and strolled over to retrieve his jacket. The coat hanger was hooked precariously from a shelf on the bookcase which was coincidentally the one Jack was standing right in front of. Which meant Daniel had to lean in and reach around behind Jack, since locomotion seemed to be beyond Jack’s capabilities right now.  
  
Jack had Daniel’s cheek within nuzzling range. He inhaled sharply and got this waft of something incredible.  
  
“Issy Miyake,” Daniel murmured huskily. He took his time getting the jacket and more time putting it on, right in front of Jack. He glanced down. “I wasn’t sure about the shirt,” he said deprecatingly.  
  
“It’ll do,” Jack shrugged. It was the exact shade of blue as Daniel’s eyes which meant Daniel would probably be getting condo keys shoved in his shorts, not phone numbers. Jack was aware of open office doors here. Lot of traffic to and through Daniel’s office. People just dropped by all the time. Like him. He should get the hell away from Daniel, this wasn’t safe for either of them. He should. He really should.  
  
“Jack?” Daniel queried softly.  
  
“Tie isn’t straight,” Jack said gruffly, smoothing his fingers over the dark silk and twitching gently. He vaguely remembered he was supposed to be twitching the tie while he was here but that was really of secondary importance to just being – here. The Pout, right here in front of him. Melting eyes raised to his. Breathing in that incredible smell. How could a man so shy, so modest, be so damned lush and inviting? Jack was feeling that intense, localised pain again. From Daniel’s lips to Jack’s dick, direct line.  
  
“Neither is yours,” Daniel murmured, reaching out to straighten Jack’s tie for him, mesmerised by the softness of Jack’s eyes. Maybe – maybe Robert had a point. Non-participant observation wasn’t nearly as much fun as it was cracked up to be. Interaction was the thing. It wasn’t possible to be objective anyway, not when the expression in Jack’s eyes was so…so tender, and Jack was smiling just that way, and there was all this HEAT – “Your jacket isn’t sitting right. Allow me.” Biting his lip, Daniel smoothed the material over Jack’s shoulders, really glad his hands weren’t shaking, mostly because they were too busy clinging to this broad expanse of – of - hot, hard Jack.  
  
Janet was having a little trouble with her tenses, so she thought swinging by Daniel’s office for a quick recap was a good idea until the moment she walked in the door and realised he was pretty damn tense already. He was also pouting, batting his eyes and stroking. No-o. Janet eyed the touching little scene playing out in front of her. No, not strictly accurate. Daniel in fact looked like he was about to tie his yellow ribbon round the old oak tree and claim his clusters. The tree himself was so far gone he didn’t even realise she was in the room. So much for those heightened Special Ops honed senses. They were heightened all right, in fact the colonel looked like he was going to eat Daniel alive, and both of them were borderline hyperventilating –-  
  
“O-oh, I think those ties are pretty damn straight now, don’t you?” Janet hollered pleasantly, blithely ignoring a lot of trembling fingers mutually cupping jaws and stroking sensuously over throats. Any actual contact with the ties was purely coincidental. Janet choked down a laugh as both men sprang apart, distinctly glazed around the eyes and blushing. Bless them, she thought fondly, smiling warmly at them both.  
  
Hot damn, she was going to clean up in the 'Who’s Doing Who' pool. Darling Daniel had finally seen the light. In fact, she’d better haul ass over to Siler right now and lay down some cash if she was gonna get that bike for Sam. The odds had never been hotter, what with Sam giving it her all, mooning all over the base after the colonel. Perkiness was above and way beyond. All the stupid money was firmly on her and the colonel, and now was clearly the time for those in the know, i.e, Janet, Sam and Teal’c, to up the ante with a vengeance, before the colonel and his beloved Spacemonkey spontaneously combusted in front of everyone.  
  
Janet sighed. Sam was going to be a little disappointed, though. She was getting off on scaring the colonel shitless every time she did the fifties sitcom blonde thing at him, and it was going to be a wrench to give that up, even for a wrench. The bike of Sam’s dreams was a fixer-upper. Much like the colonel. Not that her Sam wanted the job. The only thing she was lusting over was the bike. Janet thought vaguely that this perky puppy love act of Sam's probably wasn’t fair on the colonel, but you couldn’t make a major without breaking balls.  
  
“I’ll catch you later, Daniel,” Janet beamed at them both. “Alone,” she said meaningfully. She wasn’t about to own up she couldn’t tell her past participle from her present, not anywhere the colonel could start hollering asinine crap like ‘pizzeria’ at her, which was what passed for his Italian.  
  
Janet turned on her heel and walked away, making a firm mental note to drag the colonel into her office for an excruciatingly graphic Q&A on safe sex at his earliest possible inconvenience. He couldn’t possibly think he was going to get away with those power monger cracks forever, could he? Janet was with the Sicilians on the whole vendetta thing. Revenge was a dish best served with illustrative medical slides and ‘how to’ pamphlets.  
  
As Janet strolled away, whistling what he eventually placed as The Godfather theme, Jack guessed that the whole tie straightening-cum-touching thing hadn’t looked as toe curlingly erotic as it felt, because Janet didn’t seem to have seen a thing. Janet. Which brought him to – “Alone?” he asked gently.  
  
Daniel smiled sweetly and checked his watch. “Time for the pre-reception reception, Jack,” he said brightly.  
  
“Alone?”  
  
Alone sounded like a very good idea to Daniel, but not with Janet. If she hadn’t walked in when she had – He sighed. He and Jack had been nose to nose, breathing on one another. A little closer and they would have been breathing for one another. Daniel was feeling edgy, in a way he hadn't felt for YEARS, and he had a feeling only Jack could take this edge off. It shouldn't be too difficult for a frustrated virgin to seduce his best friend, should it? Not with the way his best friend seemed to want him. Hyperventilating could be interpreted as a firm expression of interest, couldn't it?  
  
“Alone?”  
  
“I’ll tell you later,” Daniel promised. “After the reception.” Alone. At his place. With – with – what? Candles? Bubbles? Oil? Whipped cream? Or just naked colonel to go? “Later, Jack,” Daniel insisted when Jack balked. “We’ll be late. We have to come." Daniel froze, blushing furiously. "Go!" he yelped. "Um…I mean…um…go.” Daniel plunged out of his office and along to the elevator, knowing Jack was sure to follow. Especially if he wiggled it. Just a little bit.  
  
Daniel noticing for the first time that Jack looked completely edible in his dress uniform notwithstanding, the briefing was important. They had to meet and greet the politicians in private, so the politicians didn’t embarrass the planet in public when they got to meet and greet the aliens. Janet wanted Daniel to make special mention of appearances being deceptive when it came to Anise. Looking like one didn’t make you one.  
  
George also wanted to score points with the politicians. Come budget time, they’d need every cent they could claw in. Standing orders were ‘whatever it takes’. Daniel also had to play along with a heartfelt personal plea from George NOT to mention the meaning of life stuff unless specifically asked, or the universal ethics and responsibility stuff, or the humanitarian stuff. Daniel was just supposed to smile and talk up all the technology they didn’t have. It taxed even his imagination.  
  
And his patience.  
  
During the last round of budget talks he’d gotten a little ticked off with some humourless bureaucrat with a face like a hatchet and dollar signs where her morals should be. Daniel had found himself beguiling away the tedium of the meeting with a whimsical discussion of the healing properties of a unique medicinal herb they’d found on P5Y-159. The herb worked best when inhaled. Daniel hadn’t actually used the phrase aromatherapy. Was it his fault if the hatchet had leapt to conclusions?  
  
Consequently, Daniel was under special standing orders ‘to be good’ and Jack had been tasked with the ‘whatever it takes’ to make him be good.  
  
Daniel was sorely tempted to be bad and find out just what it would take, especially with the delicious prospect of a little disciplinary tie straightening action in the nearest soundproof lockable supply closet.  
  
Jack followed Daniel like a lamb into and out of the elevator, through the hallways and into the briefing room. He only had three things on his mind. Daniel’s ass, which was wiggling delightfully; Daniel’s husky ‘later, Jack’ and the phrase ‘we have to come’, which he sincerely hoped was being used in the ‘getting some’ context. Jack was a big fan of ‘doing’ words. He could think of a lot of ‘doing’ words in the context of Daniel’s ass. Leering. Swaying. Touching. Stroking. Kneading. Kissing. Licking. Sucking. Fucking. He was a little limited in his options until he was sure what the ‘later, Jack’ actually meant, but in the meantime he was doing another word. Hoping. Like hell.  
  
George relaxed as his two prize assets strolled in, one prize asset hovering protectively at the side of the other, as usual. Jack was an honest-to-goodness all-American hero – if you ignored the insubordination, the sarcasm, the temper, the pushiness, the – anyway, Jack had enough of the square-jawed take it on the chin colonel in him to make one hell of an impression on the impressionable. Almost without exception, the suits who controlled the SGC purse-strings wanted to BE Jack. George got away with it just so long as the suits never got to see Jack being Jack.  
  
George softened as he took in Dr Jackson’s sartorial efforts. Bless the boy, he’d even worn the sky-blue shirt that went with his eyes. A double whammie, if only he knew. Senator Mayhew had just dropped her vol-au-vent for the third time.  
  
The good doctor always performed impeccably at these shindigs, and George couldn’t find it in his heart to blame Daniel for being open and honest. The boy tried; he really, truly tried to be diplomatic, but time and again he had to settle for just being inspirational. And adorable. Dr Jackson’s innate sweetness and his shy little ways had melted hearts of stone all over the galaxy.  
  
George hid a grin. People were usually too dazed by Dr Jackson’s looks to even notice the ferocious intellect or fearless moral courage. They tended to pick up on the passion straight away, hence the colonel’s glowering presence at the doctor’s side. Jack being dangerous was something else people tended to pick up on straight away, and just so long as George kept his boys circulating, everything would be fine, just – oh, boy.  
  
He moved. Fast. Senator Mayhew was swooping down on Dr Jackson like he was something small, fluffy and edible. Even though Jack had never been known to actually haul off and punch a woman, George could see from here Jack seemed to be actively rethinking his position.  
  
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Senator Phillips was sneaking up behind the colonel, eyes aglow. Behind being the operative word. George was horrified. The senator was reputed to love a man in uniform, but he must have a death wish if he wanted to love this one. Jack had never been known to haul off and punch a senior citizen either, but then, he’d never been goosed by one. George cringed. Until - too late! - now.  
  
If George had ever doubted Dr Jackson’s ability to handle himself in the field, those doubts were laid to rest. Moving as one, without any more communication than a swift, shared glance, the two men smoothly switched positions, standing firmly back to back, Jack nodding briskly to Senator Mayhew and Daniel shaking hands with a crestfallen Senator Phillips.  
  
It was going to be a long, long day. George thought about Anise and Freya, and shuddered convulsively.

 


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slash: Jack and Daniel involved in a loving and committed relationship, which usually involves sex.  
> Rating: NC-17  
> Category: First Time. Humour. Romance.  
> Season/Spoilers: Season 4.  
> Synopsis: Jack challenges Daniel to prove that he isn't an arrant flirt at an SGC reception packed with resourceful, determined admirers.  
> Warnings: This story was written two years ago for Chance's zine "The Other Side" and was then re-printed a year ago in Phee's e-zine JackDaniel Six Pack #1. I look at it now and the change in my writing style from then 'til now, well, if anyone wants me I'll be whimpering under the bed…This is from my Cute Phase. Oy.

“General,” Jack snarled through gritted teeth.  
  
“I know, Colonel, I know,” George soothed. “Just a little longer.”  
  
“My ass is black and blue,” Jack grated. “I’d knock the old reprobate on HIS ass if he didn’t look like a stiff breeze would do the trick.” He’d never been so embarrassed in his life. The senator was literally chasing him around the room. Not particularly quickly, it was true, the guy had these bad hips and all, but he was quite definitely in hot pursuit of Jack while everyone who wasn’t Jack, Carter, Teal’c or Janet seemed to be in hot pursuit of Daniel for various reasons. Some wanted Daniel’s mind, some wanted his opinion, some wanted his body and one or two seemed to want everything including the kitchen sink. Jack didn’t want Daniel thinking the best Jack could do was a horny octogenarian while Daniel had to beat off the best and the brightest in the galaxy with a stick.   
  
Jack glared at said stick. Major Davis. A nice, helpful guy who Jack had always thought deserved better than the Pentagon until he’d seen with his own eyes that Daniel liked Davis just as much as Davis liked Daniel. Jack saw sparkage. Smiles. Warm looks. Animated conversation. Soft chuckles. The occasional brush of doctor against major. Jack had a gloomy conviction Davis wasn’t working up to giving Daniel his phone number so much as dropping to one knee and offering Daniel his hand in marriage. He wasn’t sure Daniel would refuse.   
  
He was utterly depressed, thinking that a little tie straightening between consenting friends was one thing; one of the friends having a fat, saggy butt, grey hair, boring brown eyes, an attitude problem and the home straight to retirement was another. Daniel really liked Davis. Really, truly.   
  
Jack should be happy Daniel had a nice, attentive and from the looks of things, protective friend outside of his immediate SGC family. He shouldn’t want to drag the friend off somewhere quiet and shoot him, particularly as Davis seemed to be more than holding his own against Anise and that rubberised frock she was spilling out of in every direction. It was backless, side-less and very nearly front-less too.   
  
Jack sipped his OJ and gazed absently at the Tok’ra contingent. They’d arrived early to talk over a few suggestions for further exploiting their special relationship. Anise alone had three separate suggestions, all of them requiring Daniel’s presence at her side on Vorash. Jack felt sorry for Jacob. Every time he caught Anise’s frock out the corner of his eye he shuddered and hitched a little closer to Carter. Selmak butted in from time to time, and then Jacob’s eyes would wander over to the Danny ‘n’ Paul floorshow. Jack paused and looked a little closer.   
  
As a matter of fact, all the Tok’ra contingent seemed to be spending a lot of time glancing at Daniel. And Davis. None of them seemed particularly thrilled by the obvious sparkage either.   
  
Jack was going whacko. Nuts. Seriously. It was jealousy. He was seeing rivals slithering out from under every rock, including the damn snakes. No way the entire Tok’ra contingent had the hots for Daniel. No way. Just because High Councillor Per’sus had been gooey over Dr Jackson’s inspirational Earth-Tok’ra Alliance treaty didn’t mean he was gooey over Dr Jackson too. No matter how anxiously he was hovering, waiting for an opening.  
  
All in all, Jack was grateful for the familiar klaxon sounding and the chance for the senators to ooh and aah over the wormhole as the Tollan arrived. Admittedly, they’d have to endure a lecture from Carter on wormhole physics, which always took the shine right off in Jack’s opinion. Still, if it got the major away from the doctor and the colonel with the doctor instead, Jack was prepared to holler ‘encore’ every time Carter paused for breath. The thing that had always bothered him most about his loser alternates was what in the hell they found to talk about with Carter. Carter was interested in physics. And to be fair, she played the occasional game of pool. Hours of fun, right there.  
  
Daniel was interested in everything, which meant Jack got to tease Daniel and argue with Daniel over everything under this and every other sun. Life with Daniel was never boring, and in his opinion, Daniel was way prettier than Carter, too. And smarter. Smarter than Carter, Anise and – well, okay, maybe not the Tollan. Or the Nox, or the Asgard. Danny still knew shit they didn’t and he was a terrifyingly quick study.   
  
Jack was pissed off to find himself and Davis flanking Daniel as the group wandered down to the gateroom, a few harried SFs trying to keep the VIPs from wandering into areas that could get them shot if they didn’t wander right back out again.  
  
“Davis,” Jack said abruptly. “You understand this physics stuff, right?”  
  
“Yes, Sir,” Davis smiled.  
  
“Good. Get in there and help those people out,” Jack ordered briskly. He ignored the little exchange of shy, sympathetic looks between Daniel and Davis. “Physics is one language Daniel doesn’t translate.” He glanced up. Carter was in full flow. Jack heard the fatal phrase, ‘change the face of physics’ and cringed. “Better show some hustle, Davis, we’re starting to lose ‘em,” he advised. Davis cringed too and hauled ass to do his duty, only occasionally glancing longingly over his shoulder as Jack neatly cut Daniel out of the party-herd and, without faltering a step, right out of the gateroom.  
  
“Well?” Jack demanded the moment they were out of earshot.  
  
“I already had Paul’s number,” Daniel confessed. Things hadn’t gone according to plan. Now Daniel had Paul’s work and home numbers, his cell phone, his pager and his email addresses. All three of them.   
  
Jack scowled at Daniel. “And you’re telling me this now? I never suspected you would try to play with a stacked deck.”  
  
“I was merely attempting to prove to you that the alleged batting of eyes had nothing to do with the getting of phone numbers.” Although, apparently, it could lead to getting, um, other things.  
  
“So why are you looking so shifty?” Jack asked pleasantly. “Dan-iel?”  
  
“It’s nothing,” Daniel snapped.  
  
“It doesn’t look like nothing. Spill,” Jack insisted. This got him nothing but a mulish pout. “We have a deal, Daniel. Full disclosure or the experiment is a bust owing to the fact the subject is a wuss.”  
  
“Paul asked me out,” Daniel said coldly.   
  
“Out? Like on a date, out?” Jack asked, heart sinking. He knew it. He goddamn knew it. Sparkage.  
  
Daniel nodded reluctantly. Jack looked disconcertingly depressed, not angry.   
  
“You said yes,” Jack said quietly.  
  
Daniel nodded even more reluctantly. He had rushed in where angels feared to tread yet again, happily agreeing to dinner and a play he’d wanted to see for ages without stopping to check on the fine detail. “Dinner, and a play,” he said gloomily. Fine detail such as where the play was running. “In Denver,” he added. “Jack, I – “  
  
“Dr Jackson? Colonel O’Neill? The general requires your attendance in the gateroom ASAP.”  
  
Jack acknowledged the SF and stalked off after him without another word.  
  
Daniel sighed. He liked Paul, they got along great, had a ton of common interests. He just didn’t have the urge to strangle Paul with his own tie. Or straighten it. Jack was the only man he’d ever wanted to – um – straighten, and now he’d have to wait until the bitter end of this reception to let Jack know it too.  
  
Jack stalked into the gateroom, the crowds wisely scattering before him, took in the touching reunion playing out on the ramp between Tollan and Tau’ri and sternly suppressed his usual urge to barf. As usual, all Narim needed was a bluebird on his shoulder. Jeez. Jack nodded coolly at Chancellor Travell, who only warmed up when she caught sight of Daniel. Then she lightened the hell up, cracked a genuine smile and strolled down the ramp to take both of Daniel's hands. With Narim snuggling Carter and Travell schmoozing her dear Dr Jackson, that left Jack and Hammond with Tollan number three, as pleased to see them as he’d been pleased to leave them.  
  
“Aw, for cryin’ out loud,” Jack bitched as Omoc stalked past them as if they weren’t there, closing in purposefully on Daniel and Travell. Hammond gritted his teeth and followed, covering for the slight by leading Travell away.  
  
Daniel smiled tentatively at Omoc. “You said I might see you again,” he prompted.   
  
Omoc’s chilly expression didn’t falter as he looked Daniel over assessingly, his gaze lingering on Daniel's cropped hair, but he did reach out his hand and set it firmly on Daniel’s shoulder. “You look more like the rest of them now. I hope that’s the extent of the bad influence he has been having on you,” he said disapprovingly.  
  
“Hail fellow well met,” Jack muttered. He scowled ferociously at Daniel, then nodded significantly at Omoc. Enter the phone number alien, stage left. That should keep Daniel out of mischief while Jack worked out the logistics of getting Davis and a zat gun into a quiet storeroom, well off the beaten track. He couldn't help thinking that if he hurt Davis now, he got to comfort Daniel later.   
  
Daniel had agreed to a date. Not just going out – going away. With Davis. An overnight stay. Nice hotel. All alone. The two of them. The two of them all alone with a Nice. Big. Bed. Jack ground his teeth and stalked over to the punch bowl and the misery of the like-minded. Jacob and Janet looked like he felt, but obviously not for the same reason. Jack sighed. So much for hope and the little thing with the ties, which apparently had been as erotic for Daniel as – well – straightening his best friend’s tie.  
  
“Shoot me now,” Jack greeted his fellows grimly.  
  
“Get in line,” Janet snapped.  
  
Jacob tore his eyes from Narim and Carter. He looked nauseated. “Who the hell is this guy?”  
  
Janet turned on her heel, snatched up one of the tall juice glasses and grabbed the punch ladle. “I’m off duty,” she said curtly when Jack lounged over to join her.  
  
“Did I say anything?” Jack said mildly. “Hit me.” Jack processed Janet’s response. “Ow,” he said crisply. “Don’t hit me again, just pour me a drink. I’ll tell you when to stop.” He waited until Janet had the glass brimming then nodded curtly. “Leave the glass and hand me the bowl and ladle.” Janet glanced up at him. “I’m off too,” he said defiantly.  
  
“Gimme that,” Jacob snapped. “My need is greater than yours. Get yourself an OJ.” He twitched the glass from Jack’s grip and tossed it down. “When did Sam start dating Peter Perfect? Was she too embarrassed to tell me?” he asked gloomily.  
  
Janet ground her teeth. Sam was drooling all over the smug prick and unless she stopped PDQ she could kiss the bike and Janet goodbye.  
  
“Could be worse,” Jack began, breaking off abruptly as Janet and Jacob scowled at him. “It could,” he insisted. “I bet neither of you won’t be able to sit down for a week because your ass is black and blue.” He left out the part about being molested by the senator.  
  
“I could make it two,” Janet offered brightly. If the colonel’s cat did turn out to be blacker than her cat, well then, he could tell her all about how black it was over blood work and his overdue annual physical. She shot him an assessing ‘treadmill’ kind of look, the kind of look he knew well.  
  
Daniel wasn’t able to find out much from Omoc about where he’d been or what he’d been doing. Nothing unusual about that. Omoc had never been the chatty type. Daniel struggled gamely on, trying to come up with something that might engage Omoc’s interest without giving him the opportunity to comment forcefully on their primitive ways. Daniel was slightly embarrassed by just how many missions that ruled out. He’d finished up telling Omoc about Jack’s brush with the knowledge of the Ancients and their ongoing contacts with the Asgard. He’d tried to gloss over the whole Thor asking for their help because they were stupid thing.   
  
“O’Neill had the knowledge of the Ancients downloaded into his brain?” Omoc finally commented, eyes dwelling thoughtfully on Jack.  
  
Daniel followed Omoc’s assessing gaze to Jack, skulking by the punch bowl with Janet and General Carter. They all looked depressed. Anise peeled away from the crowd surrounding Chancellor Travell and High Councillor Per’sus and made a beeline for Jack. Jack’s visible alarm and rapid retreat suggested that Freya was very much with them. Daniel sighed. At least it gave Paul a break. He’d been stuck with Anise for the past twenty minutes and looked a little punchy.  
  
“The perfect choice,” Omoc said surprisingly.  
  
Daniel turned back to him, surprised. “Excuse me?”  
  
Omoc’s face softened slightly. “There is no need,” he said with surprising gentleness. He nodded brusquely at Jack's rapidly retreating back. “He possessed no unique knowledge to displace, nor is his order of intelligence such that the people of this world could have exploited what he knew. Had the information been placed in your mind, the case would have been very different. You have the skills, the expertise and the will to have unlocked the knowledge you were granted. The danger to your world would have been grave.”  
  
“I happen to believe that knowledge should be earned or you don’t take sufficient responsibility for its application,” Daniel said stiffly. “I prefer to learn what I know, not take it.”  
  
“Tritely phrased, but I accept you mean well.”  
  
“Thank you,” Daniel said witheringly.  
  
Omoc inclined his head. “His influence. You were not always so.” He looked around distastefully. “I grow weary of the company.”  
  
“Thank you,” Daniel managed the exact same tone.  
  
“I did not mean you."  
  
"Omoc?" Travell called.  
  
Omoc walked away from Daniel without a backward glance.   
  
"Always leave 'em wanting more," Daniel muttered. He glanced around, noticing a surprising number of SFs presumably on guard in the gateroom, though most of them seemed to be following his every move and he wasn't any kind of security risk. Whatever. Daniel sidled between the chattering groups, angling for the exit in pursuit of Jack. He glanced back and felt his heart sink as Paul excused himself from the group he was schmoozing and followed.  
  
Daniel didn't want to let Paul down, but he was going to have to, as gently as possible, and without mentioning any consensual tie straightening with his colonel. He had misunderstood Paul's intentions, and now he was faced with his own attraction to Jack, it wasn't fair on either of them for him to encourage Paul in any way. He let Paul catch him up.  
  
"Daniel," Paul smiled at him.  
  
"Hey."   
  
"Colonel O'Neill has an impressive turn of speed," Paul observed. "Not that I blame him. If Freya was after me, I'd run too."  
  
"I've heard that Anise is interested in me," Daniel pointed out. "On an intellectual level."  
  
Paul looked horrified. "What does that mean?"  
  
"I have no idea and I don't plan to stay in one spot long enough to find out," Daniel said emphatically.  
  
"Use the Colonel as a decoy," Paul suggested, "By the time those two fight it out over which of you to chase, you'll both be long gone."  
  
Daniel was uneasily aware of surreptitious glances in his direction as he and Paul walked through the hallways. "It is my imagination or are people watching me?"  
  
"You're just noticing now?" Paul asked, surprised.  
  
"Yes." Daniel leaned in. "How long has it been going on?" Was he some kind of security risk? Or worse - was his fly undone?  
  
"Since you got here."  
  
"This morning?" Surely he would have noticed all these people watching before now?  
  
"Since you came back from Abydos," Paul said unthinkingly.  
  
"What?"   
  
"Er - Daniel," Paul hesitated, eyeing Daniel cautiously. He took a deep breath. "I've never been in a command yet that wasn't a hotbed of simmering homoeroticism, salacious gossip and innuendo. There's nothing else to do out in the sticks but shoot stuff and have, think and talk about sex."  
  
"We're in Colorado Springs! There's a zoo just up the road!" Daniel protested.  
  
"What's your point, Dannyboy?" Jack interposed himself firmly between Daniel and Davis.  
  
"I don't know!" Daniel turned appealingly to Jack.  
  
"Davis?" Jack snapped.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"If you want to talk about the sexual customs and mores of predominantly masculine closed militaristic societies, take it to Rothman," Jack ordered fluently, looking intently at Daniel, who seemed gratifyingly impressed by his grasp of socio-cultural stuff. "That's allegedly what we pay him for."  
  
"He's an archaeologist, not an anthro - " Daniel forgot what he was saying, he was so busy looking at Jack looking at him. "What was my point?" he said blankly.  
  
"Throw Rothman a bone, Davis, he'll love you for it."  
  
"Sir," Paul acknowledged gloomily, trailing slowly away, glancing mournfully back at Daniel.   
  
"Don't mention ashtrays!" Jack hollered after him. "He gets testy."  
  
"Only because you - " Daniel swallowed hard as Jack looked at him in a deeply significant tie straightening sort of way and allowed his colonel to gallantly escort him to the elevator. "People are watching me?" Daniel complained sotto voce to Jack, necessitating him walking quite closely. So he could hear.   
  
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard, Jack! It's that hokey old myth about glasses. You only have to whip some geek's glasses off to reveal a total hottie? Please!" Daniel whispered derisively, managing to get his voce just a tad more sotto. Jack obligingly edged closer. To hear. "If anyone whipped my glasses off, all they'd find is a guy who can't see properly and gets a headache."  
  
"What if the geek was a total hottie with the glasses?" Jack asked interestedly as he punched nineteen.  
  
"Doesn't happen," Daniel commented authoritatively.   
  
"No?" Jack murmured softly.  
  
He was still - looking - at Daniel. Daniel couldn't help but - look - back. Not that there was anything else to look at, apart from the walls, the floor, the ceiling and the SFs but - er - Jack was really looking. Daniel was furious to find himself blushing when Jack's hand lightly touched the small of his back and urged him onto the elevator. He stalked over to one side of the car, Jack slouched at the other, both of them still looking at one another until the doors began to close and a groan rose up from the assembled SFs.  
  
"Goddamned Fraiser!" someone snarled.  
  
Jack and Daniel peered around.  
  
"Annual medicals?" Jack asked, wincing reflexively.  
  
"Must be." Several things happened at once as soon as the elevator began to move. Jack hit the emergency stop button, Daniel stopped breathing, started blushing and completely failed to resist when Jack sauntered over and pulled him into his arms, reaching confidently up to pluck off Daniel's glasses.  
  
"No," Jack said in a tone Daniel had never heard from him before, staring intently at Daniel's face. "No difference."  
  
Daniel smiled shyly at Jack, tentatively resting his hand on Jack's shoulder. Transfixed by the tenderness in Jack's eyes, Daniel slowly leaned in, reaching up to cup Jack's face. He froze a few inches from Jack's mouth, flinching away as Jack closed the distance. Jack stilled too, looking at him searchingly.  
  
"Daniel?" he asked gently.   
  
He closed in again and Daniel met him halfway, gasping as Jack's mouth settled softly on his, one gentle kiss flowing into another. Jack's lips were firm and mobile, exploring the taste and texture of his own mouth. Daniel clasped his arms around Jack's neck, Jack's tightening around his waist in turn to hug him fiercely.   
  
When the pressure on his lips increased, Daniel parted them, allowing Jack to deepen the kiss. He flickered the tip of his tongue against Jack's probing one, stroking and rasping over his with increasing passion. Jack was a great kisser and Daniel was grateful he seemed to have no complaints about Daniel's technique, which was rusty to say the least.  
  
Jack practically had to peel himself away from Daniel's luscious mouth, and the warmest, sweetest kiss he could remember in way too long. "Come home with me tonight?" he asked gravely. "We have a lot to talk about."  
  
Daniel's smile was slow to come, but it was there, as real and inviting as his luminous eyes. "Yes, please," he agreed equally gravely, nervously smoothing his fingers over Jack's shoulder.  
  
Jack was dying to tell Daniel he wanted to make love but he could tell that was moving WAY too fast. Daniel was certainly willing, but he was clearly also confused as hell. "I'd really like to kiss you some more," he smiled, hoping he could persuade Daniel to stay the night, share his bed at least.  
  
"Me too," Daniel sighed. "But I have to tell Paul - I tried but - "  
  
"Leave Davis to me," Jack ordered.  
  
"No," Daniel refused at once. It was bizarre to say the least to have Jack scowling at him while they were wrapped together in this intimate embrace, but when he tried to step away, Jack tightened his grip. "I can't argue while you're hugging me," he protested, unable to fight the urge to slip his fingers into Jack's hair. "I could let go any time," he said defensively when Jack winked at him.  
  
"Keep telling yourself that." Jack leaned in to breathe against Daniel's lips. "You can't argue when I kiss you, either," he said complacently. He was delighted when Daniel stretched up to kiss him softly, persuasively.  
  
"Mmm," Jack approved, happily giving way to the gently insistent pressure, enthusiastically encouraging Daniel's extraordinarily erotic exploration of his mouth.   
  
Unfortunately, he was even more enthusiastic when Daniel opened to him in turn, so enthusiastic he didn't hear the trapdoor in the roof of the elevator being forced. He did however hear the unmistakeable thud of a very large Marine sergeant dropping down into the elevator with them.   
  
Jack found himself in a difficult situation. He had his beautiful, brilliant and above all shy archaeologist plastered to him in a blatantly erotic embrace and his archaeologist was playing with his hair and sighing into his mouth as they kissed passionately. If he could make the fact he was the only thing keeping Daniel upright look like a struggle, the odds were good he could climb out of here with nothing worse than a sexual harassment charge and a jail sentence to keep he and Daniel apart.  
  
The Marine's thoughtful face lightened into a huge smile. "Colonel O'Neill is giving Dr Jackson CPR!" he bellowed up at the rescue party. A chorus of anxious enquiries and assorted medical advice were bellowed back down.  
  
Jack had to fight to hang onto Daniel as he reared back in total shock and after about a nanosecond, utter mortification.  
  
Abandoning the undignified struggle as Jack refused to let him go, Daniel swallowed convulsively and attempted some damage control. "It was my - "  
  
"Allergies," the Marine said sympathetically. "I suggest you take Dr Jackson somewhere quiet to rest for a while, Sir. Which rules out the Infirmary."  
  
Jack knew perfectly well the Marine wasn't doing this for his sake, but for Daniel's. He wasn't proud. He'd been given a break he didn't deserve and he fully intended to make the most of it.  
  
Daniel sighed heavily. "Do I have 'victim' tattooed across my forehead?" he muttered.  
  
"Survivor," Jack and the Marine corrected him as one.  
  
"I'm feeling strong enough to walk," the patient insisted, backing away in alarm when the colonel and the Marine closed in on him purposefully.   
  
"If the colonel was to assist you?" the Marine coaxed.  
  
Jack caught him before he could get away and Daniel had no choice but to look faint and lean heavily on him, trying not to show his indignation at the decidedly possessive way Jack was holding him. When the Marine hollered up that he was restarting the elevator and the rescuers should stand clear, Jack reached for Daniel's hand. Daniel tugged it away; Jack smacked it hard and snatched it back.   
  
Daniel was escorted tenderly from the elevator and was slightly taken aback to find the rescue party couldn't have been more jubilant if they'd actually rescued them. Jack led him through another crowd of SFs, managing to look annoyingly composed yet nobly concerned for Daniel's health and well-being. Putting aside the fact that Jack was a stupendous kisser for a moment, Daniel kicked him smartly on the shin the instant they were safely out of sight because he was also a smug bastard who never knew when to stop pushing his luck.   
  
Like now. Daniel balked when he realised Jack was steering him to the VIP quarters, the ones that came with the big bed. He was struggling with the stupendous kisser part. He wasn't ready for anything that involved them horizontal and adjacent.  
  
"You're supposed to rest, remember?" Jack explained patiently. "That hurt by the way," he added reproachfully. "I'm not wussy enough to limp but it hurts. I could limp if I wanted to. It hurts like crap."  
  
"Good."  
  
"It does not however hurt so much I can't toss you over my shoulder and carry you the rest of the way," he said smoothly. "Something I would thoroughly enjoy, so, please - just keep right on pushing."  
  
"Why didn't that Marine report you for - for what?" Daniel asked.  
  
"Sexual misconduct," Jack said grimly. "For which I apologise. We lucked out this time. I swear I won't compromise you like that again," he promised. "No sex on base."  
  
"Sex."  
  
Jack used Daniel's momentary stupefaction to get him into the VIP quarters and slammed the door behind them. Then he hugged Daniel hard, ruffled his hair and shoved him on the bed before sitting himself virtuously in the chair he put where he could watch Daniel and still be out of kicking distance.   
  
"Sex?" Daniel asked, hoping not. As easily as they confided in one another on pretty much everything, Jack was the last person on the planet he would choose to discuss his sex life or lack thereof with, but it looked like he had no choice if Jack was determined to be his sex life. The lack thereof part would be immediately apparent, because his vast experience of sex with a man was only applicable if Jack was into tie straightening in a really big way.   
  
Daniel found it impossible to quantify just how embarrassing it was to have to admit to his putative - well, no avoiding it - lover that he was only the latest in a long line of two thanks to Daniel's penchant for long-term relationships. He just couldn't find the words to tell Jack he'd hardly been to bed with anybody, and hadn't been with anyone since Sha'uri.  
  
He gazed up at Jack, biting his lip. Jack gazed back. Daniel nervously licked his lips. Jack unfolded from his chair and stalked towards the bed, looking distinctly glazed and - and needy. Daniel sensed he was about to be thoroughly kissed and once again completely embarrassed himself by utterly failing to discourage Jack in any way. He jumped up from the bed, but that didn't count, not when he timed it so he could walk straight into Jack's waiting arms.  
  
"Daniel," Jack sighed, kissing him like it was the most natural thing in the world.  
  
They both reached a mutual decision that they were wearing too many clothes for men trying to get to know one another a little better and each rushed to assist the other to remove several of the worst barriers to effective communication, which was quite difficult because neither of them would break off the giddy kiss.   
  
Daniel had been hugged by Jack so often he'd amended his concept of personal space to incorporate Jack, but being clasped fervently to his enticingly bared chest was a new experience. Daniel eased the shirt further back, baring Jack's collar bone, which he stroked.   
  
Jack approved wholeheartedly, pushing Daniel's shirt off his shoulders as he leaned in to kiss the smooth, creamy skin at Daniel's throat.   
  
Daniel shivered and wrapped his arms tight round Jack, slipping curious fingers beneath Jack's shirt to explore the broad expanse of Jack's back.  
  
Gravity got pro-active. At least, neither of them could remember pushing the other down to the bed, though they both applauded a damn fine idea and got comfortable. Jack's idea of comfortable was to enfold Daniel in a vast, full-body embrace.  
  
"Oh, Jack," Daniel sighed, deciding his masculinity was secure enough to survive some snuggling if Jack's was. He reached up and drew Jack into another slow, passionate kiss, shaking as Jack's hands stroked over his thigh to cup his ass, gliding up to slip beneath the shirt and curve possessively over his waist. Daniel's hands were entwined in Jack's hair so he returned the embrace by hooking his leg over Jack's back.   
  
Daniel shuddered as he felt Jack emphatically harden against him. Daniel was attracted to Jack, but he was deeply shaken by the power of this amazing kiss they were sharing, was too nervous to be fully aroused. He was grateful that Jack seemed content to focus on relaxing him rather than turning him on. The kiss - being held so intimately - it was enough for Daniel to have to cope with right now.   
  
Jack's touch heated his skin, but Jack was exploring him gently, as much comforting as caressing, soothing Daniel's tension away until he melted into Jack's body, into the kiss. He felt Jack smile against his mouth and pulled him closer, smoothing his fingers over the hot skin at Jack's nape, unconsciously mirroring the way their tongues stroked.  
  
Jack held Daniel as close and as tight as he dared, profoundly grateful for the trusting way Daniel was leaning into him, aware of his desire and accepting, for all his shyness. After waiting for so long, Jack could hardly believe this was happening. He eased back from the kiss as Daniel fought to snatch a breath, but couldn't resist the urge to explore his beautiful face.   
  
He realised that Daniel wanted to tell him something, but wasn't sure how. Jack wanted to tell him it was okay, he knew Daniel was inexperienced, but he couldn't figure out a way to tell Daniel not to worry about it without hurting his feelings. The mere thought of being Daniel's first made his gut clench with need and anticipation, something he felt strongly his sensitive lover didn’t need to know.  
  
"I don't think we should rush into having sex," Jack said softly, biting back a grin at the flush of relief tiding over Daniel's face. He was touched when Daniel instinctively tightened his hold. "But I'd like you to come over tonight and stay with me."  
  
"Sleep with you?" Daniel asked doubtfully, clinging even closer.  
  
"We have a lot to talk about."  
  
Daniel nodded, looking a little regretful.  
  
"We'd better get back to the reception," Jack suggested unenthusiastically.   
  
Daniel kissed him again.

* * *

Every single attempt to speak to Paul alone had been ruthlessly thwarted by Jack. Daniel was slightly annoyed with Jack over his possessiveness, and absolutely furious with himself that he found it such a turn on. Every time Jack loomed up menacingly, Daniel felt oddly breathless and his libido plummeted straight between the sheets.   
  
He was finding it impossible to circulate diplomatically and fantasise about going to bed with Jack, mostly because Jack insisted on circulating with him, standing so close Daniel could feel the heat of his body. He couldn't believe no one could tell just by looking at them that Jack's tongue had been sensuously stroking his or that Jack's hands had been cupped over his ass and as soon as they could blow this joint, he was going to bed with Jack.  
  
Daniel wished Jack wouldn't stand so close. He needed to catch his breath, find some balance instead of feeling this exquisite fear and desire shivering through him. Everything had changed and he didn't know what the hell to do about it, apart from going to bed with Jack. Gawd, he was obsessing.   
  
Right now he didn't know which would be worse, sleeping with Jack or - or sleeping with Jack. It was lose, lose. With his sinuses, he snored, and he was bad at sex, especially sex he hadn't had before. He got better - way better, but he'd never hit the ground running. No one did.   
  
It took time to know another person, especially one you'd known for four years. For instance, Daniel didn't know if Jack slept nude. He couldn’t ask, because even if Jack didn't, he would. He could however quietly panic over it. At least, he could if Jack would just stop smiling at him like that.   
  
It was a tad unfair that all of Jack being entirely happy was aimed right at Daniel and the rest of the crowd was keeping a discrete as well as discreet distance because Jack was being an absolute bastard to everybody else. Daniel sighed. Particularly poor Paul, who looked like he was breathing without Colonel O'Neill's written permission or something.  
  
Everyone appeared to be watching Jack watching Daniel, except for Sam, who was watching Janet watching Jacob; Narim, who was watching Sam; Paul, who was watching his own shoes when he wasn't watching Daniel, and Robert, who was watching Anise.  
  
"Those are magnificent," Robert toasted Anise's breasts. He wandered over. "May I?"  
  
"You are a student of physiology?" Anise asked.  
  
"Archaeologist," Robert said vaguely, leaning in to take a closer look. "Your clavicular definition is stunning."  
  
Jack stood open-mouthed at Daniel's side, watching the surreal unfolding drama.  
  
"I am also an expert on ancient cultures," Anise informed Robert. "I am Anise. My name means noble strength."  
  
"Robert. Bright fame," Robert muttered, still peering intently at Anise's breasts.  
  
"Don't tell me that line works!" Jack hissed to Daniel.  
  
"It's the beard," Daniel hissed back. "It mesmerises people."  
  
"I am Freya," Freya beamed.  
  
"Lady of high birth," Robert said cursorily, losing interest.  
  
"You are hirsute," Freya sighed. "I am reminded of the men of my homeworld."  
  
"Hirsute?" Jack parroted incredulously. "My welcome mat is softer than that beard."  
  
"Welcome?" Daniel sniffed. "Your mat actually says 'If you're standing here it's because I haven’t shot you yet'. Where exactly is the subliminal 'welcome' message in that?"  
  
"'Yet'."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"How old are you?" Robert asked Anise directly.  
  
"I was spawned by the great queen Egregia," Anise said proudly.  
  
"Really? You look older," Robert said casually, turning away. "'Great' queen?" he called disparagingly over his shoulder as he strolled over to the exit. "A minor deity in the Roman pantheon," he sniffed.  
  
"Minor deity?" Anise stiffened.  
  
"At best."  
  
"Egregia did battle against Ra - " Anise snapped.  
  
"She lost."  
  
Anise drew herself to her full height and glared haughtily at Robert. "She fought and died nobly to save your kind!"   
  
"Like I said," Robert drawled, using his inhaler in a manner strongly suggestive of mild contempt. "She got her ass kicked and she lost." He did pause at the door and glance back. "Goddess of childbirth, huh? I guess that explains the dress code."  
  
"What do you mean?" Anise asked stiffly.  
  
"I've always had this theory the followers of Egregia were high class hookers. The original call girls," Robert said pleasantly. "Daniel talked me out of submitting a research application because Frosty was giving him hell."  
  
"Frosty?" Jack hissed, elbowing Daniel.  
  
"She was a bitch. You'd have liked her," Robert assured Anise.   
  
"Tell it!" Janet called cheerfully. "Ask him what a hooker is," she urged.  
  
"I am curious," Anise admitted.  
  
"Follow me. I think I've got a mirror someplace."  
  
Nobody knew quite why Anise followed Robert out of the gateroom, least of all Anise, but follow she did, plainly mesmerised by the beard that sneered.  
  
Daniel took advantage of Jack's astonishment to sneak over to Paul. He noticed several deeply pitying looks from the SFs to Paul. Paul noticed too and had no hesitation in neatly extracting Daniel from the gateroom.   
  
"There's something I need to tell you - " Daniel began apologetically as they walked down the hallway. "About the date." He realised he'd made a mistake when Paul's face lit up. Before he could utter a protest Paul yanked him through the nearest open door, which turned out to be the men's room. Déjà vu, Daniel thought as Paul pulled him into an ardent embrace. Daniel resisted, stepping rapidly back, accidentally slamming the door shut behind him. A pained yelp from the hallway made Paul freeze; unfortunately with his hands clamped to Daniel's ass and his mouth a breath away.  
  
The door handle vigorously rattled.  
  
"Daniel?"  
  
A fist struck the door.  
  
"Daniel!"  
  
A solid kick made the door reverberate.  
  
"Davis," Jack snarled. "Open the goddamn door! Now!"  
  
Daniel leaned hard against the door, nodding briskly to Paul. "On three," he whispered. "Three."  
  
"Davis!"  
  
"Crap!" Paul hauled ass for the stalls with more haste than dignity.  
  
Good reflexes, Daniel thought admiringly, fighting to keep the door shut until he heard the stall bolt slam home. That would give Paul a couple of seconds.  
  
"Jeez," Paul groaned, snatching the stall door closed. "Do whatever it takes!"  
  
Daniel shot him a helplessly apologetic look and slammed his ass off the door, which Jack kicked viciously.  
  
Daniel heard the bolt hit home and let his body relax. Jack violently shoved the door open and sent Daniel staggering. He decided Jack's reflexes were way better than Paul's, because Jack caught him around the waist before he'd stumbled more than a few steps and enthusiastically checked him for injuries, which bought Paul several minutes of precious breathing space.   
  
He rapidly discovered that reproachful silence made Jack edgy, and a sorrowful look directed up from under his lashes made Jack pounce and kiss him, growling something about not being able to stand it. This kept them both fully occupied. Daniel tried to keep his eyes open, but Jack started nibbling his tongue as he insinuated his thigh between Daniel's and rubbed. Daniel gasped and hooked his leg around Jack's.   
  
Jack went nuts, lifting Daniel clean off his feet. He couldn't take the weight and staggered, dropping Daniel into the nearest of the row of washbasins, deepening the kiss as Daniel promptly wrapped his legs around Jack's back and used him as leverage to lift his ass out of the damp basin.  
  
Paul cautiously stuck his head out the stall door and watched the mirror image of the two men ecstatically kissing. He eased the stall door closed and balanced himself on the can again. After the third time Colonel O'Neill tenderly sighed Daniel's name, he sorrowfully realised it was true love or the scary sonovabitch wouldn't be that sappy.   
  
"Let's go home, Jack," Daniel pleaded as Jack nibbled his ear.  
  
"As soon as I've flushed Davis," Jack promised.  
  
"You can kill him later," Daniel promised fondly.  
  
Prudently bracing his feet against the stall door just in case the enthusiastic osculation was a feint on the colonel's part, Paul sadly guessed he wouldn't be going on that date with Daniel.  
  
"We've got to get back to the reception," Jack claimed unconvincingly.  
  
"Now, Jack," Daniel insisted, one coaxing hand caressing Jack's cheek. "I'm not going near the reception. I look like I peed my pants and my ass won't fit under the hand dryer."

* * *

By the time he got to Jack's house, Daniel was wondering what the hell he was doing. What the hell he was going to be doing. With Jack. Jack. Who was waiting for him, opening the front door as Daniel slowly walked up the path. Jack had had time to change into jeans and a figure-hugging black T-shirt. Daniel was disconcerted to realise for the first time just how much figure there was to hug. Jack was really - um - built. He tried to analyse how that made him feel, and came up with shit-scared.  
  
Naturally that was enough to goad him into practically running into Jack's arms. Jack went 'oof!' and staggered back, clutching Daniel desperately. He slammed into the wall and one of his pictures fell off and clattered down the stairs.  
  
"Hi," Jack choked.  
  
"Hi," Daniel whispered, stretching up to kiss Jack. Jack eagerly met him half way and they staggered back the way they came, lip locked, so Jack could kick his front door shut. As Jack seduced Daniel's tongue into his mouth, Daniel closed his eyes and wrapped his arms tight around Jack's neck again. When Jack moved, he moved, kissing deeply, passionately, plunging into Jack's mouth, moaning embarrassingly as Jack nibbled his tongue and sucked on it. It was like a tango with tongues, everything in constant gliding motion.  
  
Daniel finally opened his eyes, surfaced from the kiss and wheezed, totally disconcerted to find himself in Jack's bedroom. Jack had neatly extracted him from his jacket and was working on his tie before Daniel managed to get a word out. "You want to go to bed with me," he said stupidly, making it all the way from dazed to shit-scared in ten seconds flat. He reached out shakily to stop Jack from unbuttoning his shirt.   
  
"I'm not trying to seduce you, Daniel," Jack said reassuringly.  
  
"Why not?" Daniel asked, forgetting his original objection in a rush of damp-assed rejection.  
  
"I'm not going to rush you into sex, Daniel, into anything you're not ready for, but I would like to kiss you, hold you." He stepped closer to Daniel and put his hands on Daniel's hips. "Touch you," he said softly, brushing his lips over Daniel's. When the slight pressure was returned, Jack kissed him fully on the lips, coaxing him to open again.   
  
Daniel sighed and when Jack turned him and backed him towards the bed, he moved with Jack, allowing himself to be lowered.  
  
Jack stretched out at Daniel's side, pulling him into an embrace and they lay that way, kissing and holding one another until the tension tightening Daniel's body eased and he relaxed into Jack. When Daniel began to stroke his back with gentle curiosity, Jack returned the favour, exulting over the slim, firm body clasped so close to him. He couldn't resist sliding his hands down to cup the lush curve of Daniel's ass, where the fabric clung distractingly.   
  
Daniel squirmed involuntarily when Jack started stroking his butt, which gave him another problem right in front of him as Jack groaned and got hard. Very hard. Very. Jack also kissed him very passionately. Very. Jack rolled on top of Daniel, the weight of his body pinning him to the bed. Daniel kept thinking about things that began with very, like some bizarre game of I Spy. Jack was very big. Very heavy. Very - Daniel delicately fingered a bulging bicep - hard.   
  
His mind was skittering away from the other bulge.   
  
He trusted Jack, even if he was wildly aroused by Daniel and kissing him desperately, growling low in his throat and chewing on Daniel's tongue. Maybe if Daniel wasn't enjoying being kissed so damn much his heart was practically in his mouth he could calm Jack down. Maybe if he knew what he was ready for - he was sure Jack would stop at a word from him. Unfortunately the only word he could come up with was 'Mmmmmm', which wasn't helping either of them calm down, although he was happy it made Jack so happy.  
  
Daniel was getting hot. He could make Jack stop or he could make Jack undress him. Jack's hips rocked slowly against his. Daniel gasped and shuddered at the incredible, unsuspected sensuality of Jack's penis sliding over his and went with Plan B, ordering Jack to undress him. "Now."  
  
"Daniel? I promised not to seduce you. Do you have any idea what you're getting us into?" Jack asked, rapidly unbuttoning.  
  
"Haven't a goddamn clue," Daniel admitted honestly, deciding to be proactive and reaching for Jack's T-shirt. "I just want to see you naked."  
  
Jack picked up speed, practically tearing Daniel's pants off and shucking his jeans at breakneck speed.   
  
Daniel got a lot hotter when he propped himself up on his elbows and saw Jack's proudly jutting erection. For once in his life he was speechless. He just lay there staring wide eyed at Jack's magnificent body, long and lean, hardened by a coupled of decades of action; the powerful musculature, the flat, toned stomach and taut ass and thighs. Daniel looked down at himself and sighed. He looked at Jack deprecatingly. "You want to - um - " he trailed off, eyes dropping again to Jack's erection.  
  
"Yes," Jack said calmly. "Very much."  
  
Daniel compared and contrasted again. "Why?" he asked, bewildered.  
  
Jack looked him up and down incredulously.  
  
Daniel wished he hadn't been so quick to undress and scrambled under the quilt, which he pulled up to his chin.  
  
"Can I see you naked?" Jack asked hopefully.  
  
Daniel wriggled, pushed, shoved and finally kicked his boxers onto the floor.  
  
"Magnificent," Jack said solemnly as Daniel yanked the quilt back up his chin. He had accidentally bared a few inches of chest during the struggle. Jack had a flash of collar bone there for a few moments. "I've always liked that quilt." He walked slowly up to his own bed and trailed his fingers along the edge of the quilt. "I'm getting in now, and just so we're clear, even though I want to, I won't." Daniel scooted over to the extreme opposite edge of the bed as Jack lifted the quilt and slid in. He pillowed his head on his hands and waited with interest to see what Daniel would do next.  
  
Jack had to admit he was having the time of his life. Daniel was so far out of his depth he'd have a steep climb ahead of him before he could drown. He was doing his best to think it through and make a rational, considered choice about having sex with Jack, but his own body was ambushing him. Daniel wanted to make love, in fact he needed to make love, needed it so badly it made Jack's heart ache to think of how lonely he was, but nerves and shyness were getting in the way.   
  
He'd made a promise he intended to keep and he happened to be deeply in love with Daniel, so there would be no cheap shots, no pressure. Whatever Daniel wanted, Jack would gladly give. He lay still, letting Daniel get used to his presence in the bed, waiting patiently for Daniel's breathing to even out, and finally, he got what he needed. Daniel, sidling cautiously over to curl up at Jack's side. After a moment, Daniel draped an arm across Jack, stretched up to kiss his chin, and shyly laid his head on Jack's shoulder. Jack unfolded his arms and held Daniel tight.  
  
"You do know I'm in love with you, don't you?" he asked his love gently. Daniel nodded jerkily, his arm tightening protectively over Jack. Jack stroked his hair soothingly.   
  
"You wouldn't want to make love to me if you didn't. You wouldn't take the risk," Daniel corrected himself. "The team, our friendship --"  
  
"And you?" Jack asked slowly, hoping against hope.  
  
"Neither would I." Daniel surged up and kissed Jack fiercely. "I've never been with anyone I didn't love."  
  
Yes! Jack hugged Daniel so hard he wheezed. "Thank God!" Now he had exactly what he wanted, Jack pushed his luck just a little further. "Do you want to be with me?"  
  
"Yes, but it's too soon, Jack," Daniel said regretfully. "I do love you, but it's too soon for - for that."  
  
"I'm not proud," Jack teased, stifling his regret. "I'll take you anyway I can get you. We can cuddle up and try to keep it platonic."  
  
"Ja-ack," Daniel protested, looking up at him, blinking hard.  
  
"Now you bat your eyes at me?" Jack smouldered dangerously. "While you're naked and sprawling all over me and I can't do a goddamn thing about it? You're killing me."  
  
Daniel decided to kill him a little more and reached out cautiously to skim his fingers lightly over Jack's chest. The resultant stream of profanity would have done the Marine Corps proud, let alone the Air Force. Encouraged, Daniel kissed Jack's shoulder, fascinated by the warm, smooth skin tight over the flexing muscles. He kissed a trail down, thoughtfully flickering his tongue over a nipple. Jack groaned heart-rendingly and pushed him away, gently but firmly. Daniel curled up obediently at his side for all of thirty seconds, then explored the hard, unfamiliar planes of Jack's abdomen with curious fingers.  
  
"Daniel? I can't have sex with you so stop having sex with me!" Jack snarled.  
  
Daniel shook his head and mischievously curved his hand over Jack's hip. He wasn't surprised when Jack's hand clenched over his involuntarily and guided it down. Daniel had never before held another man's penis, finding the sensation at once reassuringly familiar and exotically alien. He was mesmerised by the weight and heat, the eager throb and pulse of blood in the velvety flesh still swelling against his palm, arousal spiking through him in turn. "Jack?" he asked uncertainly.  
  
Jack pulled Daniel into his arms, a little embarrassed at the way his hands were shaking. Maybe Daniel wasn't ready for the full meal deal, but he definitely needed to relax. Jack figured nothing was more relaxing than good sex. He rested his hands over Daniel's slim hips and pushed subtly into him. Daniel gasped and clung to him, his hands mirroring Jack's. When Jack rocked again, Daniel met him halfway, gasping and shuddering gratifyingly as their dicks ground together.  
  
Lying on their sides, it was hard to get the kind of friction that could make the sex really good, but it had been so goddamn long since Daniel had been with anyone, the way he was biting down those tiny moans as his slick, slippery erection slid over and over Jack's told him Daniel wasn't going to last long.   
  
Jack went eagerly as Daniel pulled him into another profound kiss, tightening his hold to stroke every inch of Daniel's body he could reach as he rocked their bodies easily together, blithely ignoring the tension slowly melting from Daniel's body and growing in his own. He exulted as Daniel clung ever closer, hooking his leg once again over Jack's waist as his hands scrabbled for a hold on Jack's sweaty shoulders.   
  
He went with the flow, rolling Daniel beneath him, desperately kissing his eyes, lips, face and throat as he thrust gently into the elegantly sleek, supple body he'd coveted for so long. He loved the contrasts in Daniel, slender and yet so strong, his smooth skin warm and soft over firm muscles. Daniel met every thrust, his head shifting restlessly on the pillow as they moved together. Jack knew he was getting it so right when Daniel's neck began to arch and he wrapped those long, long legs around Jack's, wanting and needing more pressure, more friction. When Daniel surged up, Jack was with him, allowing himself to be tumbled onto his back.  
  
Daniel was giddy with desire and possibility, propped up on his elbows to kiss and kiss and kiss as he pounded into Jack's willing, jolting body, both of them slipping and sliding over sweat soaked skin, kissing and laughing and kissing some more. Touching. Hands getting everywhere, in fact. Jack was hot, hard and delectably hairy, groping Daniel's ass, grunting and purple with effort as he heaved up, his body shaking with the same tension wracking Daniel with waves of hot, surging pleasure. Daniel's back arched and he came, crying out Jack's name as his orgasm exhausted him. He collapsed shaking on Jack's chest, fighting for breath as Jack's hands clenched bruisingly over his ass and he too came, hot semen pulsing against Daniel's groin, mingling with his own.  
  
"I promised not to seduce you," Jack wheezed in a thread of a voice, still battling a blinding orgasm.  
  
"It's not your fault," Daniel soothed him, nuzzling his face against Jack's, wincing as the stubble rasped against his cheek. "Well, it is," he amended conscientiously, "But only in the sense you're so damned hot and - and fascinating."  
  
"Fascinating?" Jack sensed a compliment.  
  
"Mmm." Daniel slithered off and sprawled happily - and stickily - against Jack's side. He settled his cheek against Jack's shoulder, sighing happily as Jack's arms came around him. "Love you, Jack."  
  
"Love you too, Daniel. In fact I - oh," Jack said weakly as Daniel contentedly curled his fingers around Jack's dick, kissed his chin and drowsily snuggled in to sleep. "How am I supposed to sleep like that?"  
  
"If I hold onto this - " Daniel tightened his grip possessively, "I get the rest of you, and you're not supposed to sleep, you're supposed to wake up," he explained a tad smugly. "I may start off slow, but I get better," he confided sleepily, yawning.  
  
"Better?"  
  
"At sex."  
  
"Better?"  
  
"I just need practice. Lotttttts of practiiiiiiice."  
  
"Shy virgin," Jack gloated as Daniel drifted off.  
  
"Uh-uh," Daniel frowned. "Try sex-crazed Energiser bunny. Why'd you think they called Sarah 'Ole Frosty Pants'?" He chuckled malevolently. "You never heard of irony?"

FINIS


End file.
